Welcome to the Central Opening Doors Conference

this year's theme:Harm Reduction Approacheswed, june 20, 2018

Harm reduction approaches are quickly become a standard component of society's response to drug use and to supporting people who use drugs. Expanding beyond abstinence-only responses to drug use to a spectrum of new, innovative evidence informed approaches will require ongoing dialogue and a shift in how resources are allocated. From decadesa old needle exchange programs to the more recent implementation of supervised consumption sites to decriminalization, harm reduction covers a spectrum of responses aimed at reducing deaths and other health, social, and personal harms related to substance use. Please join us to explore some of these approaches and contribute to important discussions about how harm reduction is relevant in our work and in our communities.

Central Opening Doors is an annual conference that provides participants from Simcoe/Muskoka, Peel, and York Regions the opportunity to strengthen and update their HIV-related knowledge and skills. Service providers from the health care and social service sectors, educators, researchers, students, volunteers and people living with HIV are among those invited to attend this conference. This year's conference provides a broader focus in order to assist key stakeholders in achieving the priorities as set out in Ontario's new HIV/AIDS Strategy. Central Opening Doorsis an initiative funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, HIV and Hepatitis C Programs.